Emile Heskey sent off as Aston Villa fall into relegation zone

Wednesday 5 January 2011 17.07 EST
First published on Wednesday 5 January 2011 17.07 EST

According to Robert Pires in the past couple of days, Aston Villa's performance in this match and the FA Cup tie against Sheffield United on Saturday were going to make or break Gérard Houllier's tenure as manager. Assuming the French midfielder to be correct, Villa are going to have to be massively better at Bramall Lane if his compatriot's reign is to be extended.

Tactically confused and increasingly frustrated, Villa were already struggling when Emile Heskey, who had already missed perhaps the biggest sitter of his career, got himself sent off shortly after the hour. Phil Bardsley's splendid 25-yard strike gave Sunderland the points, left Villa in the relegation zone, and the Holte End informing Houllier he was going to be sacked in the morning. Not so, according to Houllier. "I don't doubt his firm support and determination. We're in this together," he insisted of Villa owner Randy Lerner. He may not have been aware that Lerner authorised the dismissal of the Cleveland Browns' head coach, Eric Mangini, on Monday.

There was an unease with a flexible formation, which required Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young to play behind and off, rather than alongside, Heskey. While Heskey's ball retention and lay-offs were admirable, the younger men's understanding of their role appeared confused at best. Not once in the first half was Craig Gordon required to make a save, but Sunderland offered little more.

Shortly after the half-hour, the visitors were dismayed when their impressive young Irish midfielder David Meyler, who has just returned from a serious knee injury, was carried off with what manager Steve Bruce later confirmed was ruptured cruciate ligaments.

The first action of Meyler's replacement, Boudewijn Zenden, was almost highly influential. The Dutchman lost the ball to Stewart Downing on his own byline and when the England winger side-footed the ball to Heskey, cutting out Gordon and leaving the forward facing an empty goal from four yards, an opening goal seemed inevitable. With big Emile, however, nothing is inevitable, and somehow he made such poor contact that the ball bounced up and against the bar.

Having barely registered as an attacking force, Sunderland began the second half with intent. Steed Malbranque volleyed over and Darren Bent beat the goalkeeper only to see James Collins, whose mistake had let him in the first place, redeem himself by clearing off the line. Sensing Villa's vulnerability, Steve Bruce sent on Asamoah Gyan, shortly before Peter Walton was left with no choice other than to send off Heskey. Whether or not Jordan Henderson was right to remonstrate with him for not kicking the ball out of play after Gyan had been injured, Heskey was an idiot to react by raising his hand and pushing it into Henderson's face.

Houllier insisted he understood the frustration of the supporters. "What's important is you have the backing of the chairman [Lerner] and chief executive [Paul Faulkner]," he said, and confirmed he had spoken to Faulkner after the game.